Huayu: Serious director, who's eavesdropping on your thoughts?

[Target: Peng Xiaohua]

Current favorability rating: 71

[…Waaah…I want to see…eyes…even if I can’t stand…it’s hard…I’m worthless…I can’t afford it…I’ll just have to bear it…]

Zhao Huaiyuan smiled.

This girl, though straightforward, is truly loyal; even at a time like this, she's still thinking of protecting herself.

"Sister, Xiaohua, listen to me."

Zhao Huaiyuan looked serious and pointed to the ticket gate at the main entrance.

"Even if our ticket is fake, the machine will at most beep and light up a red light. We can just turn around and run away, pretending we don't know anything."

Would the security guards really chase us all over the street for something like this? We didn't steal or rob anyone.

"We're already here, we can't just give it a try and be scared away by that guy's few words, can we? Then all our anger would have been for nothing!"

Zhao Xiaoyu hesitated: "But..."

Peng Xiaohua said impatiently, "Oh, what do you mean 'but'? Huaiyuan is right, we can't let that damn Guo Lili look down on us. We're already here, let's give it a try. At worst, they won't let us in, we'll just run faster. Let's go, let's give it a try!"

Under Peng Xiaohua's persistent urging, Zhao Xiaoyu could only sigh helplessly and accompany the others on their adventure.

In front of the turnstile.

Zhao Xiaoyu's heart was in her throat, and she handed over the ticket with trembling hands.

The person in charge of checking tickets was a student volunteer in uniform. He took the ticket and gently waved it at the scanner.

"drop.."

A crisp beep sounded, the indicator light on the turnstile turned green instantly, and the barrier retracted automatically.

The volunteer glanced at the tickets, expressionless, and stepped aside to let the group in.

No alarm!

No security guards rushed over!

Zhao Xiaoyu and Peng Xiaohua stared wide-eyed. This ticket was actually real?!

They've really... come in?

The next second, her face turned deathly pale, and she grabbed Zhao Huaiyuan's hand:

"Young man, this...this ticket is real! How much did you spend? My God, how could you be so wasteful?!"

Since this ticket isn't fake, it must have been bought with real money.

One ticket costs 1,000 yuan, so four tickets would cost 4,000 yuan!

Four thousand yuan!

That's how many pigs your family would have to sell to scrape together the money, just to see a movie?

She was heartbroken!

Peng Xiaohua didn't have as many thoughts as Zhao Huaiyuan. She jumped up happily and hugged him tightly.

"Huaiyuan, you're so kind and considerate! I like you so much!"

..

Inside the venue.

Zhao Huaiyuan glanced around the nearly full hall, his expression grave.

"Sister, Xiaohua, you must remember what I'm about to say. It's about whether I'll do well in school."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiaoyu nodded nervously: "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"I'm listening too," Peng Xiaohua interjected.

"Someone will come and take you to your seats in a moment. I've arranged the seats in advance. Once you're there..."

A man in a Zhongshan suit, around fifty years old, with a dignified appearance, will be sitting in front.

That's the leader in charge of film in China.

"Ah?! X2!" the two exclaimed, covering their mouths.

"It's okay, your task is just to watch the movie, but! If you think the movie on stage is bad or too boring,..."

Or observe the leader closely; whenever you see him sigh, touch his forehead, or appear impatient...

Just chat casually using the phrases I taught you before. Don't overdo it; just like when you're chatting normally. Keep your voices down, not too loud, but not too soft either. Just make sure he can hear you.

Peng Xiaohua, being straightforward, patted her chest and said confidently, "Don't worry, Huaiyuan, it's just gossip, right? That's easy, leave it to me!"

Zhao Xiaoyu felt a little flustered, but seeing how serious her younger brother was, she assumed it was for his own good and could only grit her teeth and nod.

I just finished explaining.

A boy wearing glasses and a blue name tag around his neck walked over quickly.

"Is that Zhao Huaiyuan, my junior?"

"I am."

"Hello, I'm Professor Tian's graduate student. Just call me Xiao Song. Professor Tian specifically instructed me to make sure your family is taken care of."

Senior Song was very polite.

"Thank you for your help, Senior Song."

"Hey, don't be so polite, come with me." Senior Song gestured for them to follow and led the way.

"Little brother, aren't you coming?" Zhao Xiaoyu asked, puzzled.

"Oh, I have something to do. The teacher asked me to help with some chores. You guys go ahead, I'll be there in a bit." Zhao Huaiyuan smiled.

"Little brother..." Zhao Xiaoyu understood everything now.

This ticket wasn't bought, was it? Where would my brother get so much money? He knows his own living expenses.

It must have been earned by the younger brother doing hard labor for his seniors or teachers for a long time.

Now that everyone's inside, my younger brother still has to go backstage to help move things, do odd jobs, and serve tea and water to people.

No wonder my brother didn't argue when someone mocked him for being poor.

He really saved every penny, even selling his labor, just so he could broaden his horizons in such a grand setting.

Thinking of this, she felt a pang of sadness, a mixture of heartache and relief.

My younger brother has grown up and become more sensible. He has silently endured so much for the sake of the family.

"Go ahead, sis, don't keep the student waiting. I'm going."

Zhao Xiaoyu nodded, took a deep breath, and secretly vowed in her heart that her younger brother had gone through so much, and that she would not be afraid even if the Jade Emperor was sitting in front of her today. She would definitely do her job perfectly!

"Okay, don't overwork yourself backstage, and be careful. I'll remember that. I definitely won't let you down. If you mess it up, I'm not coming back!"

"Don't worry, sis, it's not that serious, go ahead."

Zhao Huaiyuan smiled and watched as the two of them took their seats smoothly with Senior Brother Song.

He breathed a sigh of relief and glanced at the first few rows; the guests and leaders had not yet entered.

He rolled his eyes and left the venue.

..

Outside the venue.

"You promised 800, but it turned into 1,500 when we met? You're ripping me off! Don't you have any integrity? I'm just a student here, not some rich kid!" a girl complained to the scalper.

"Buy it or don't, it's up to you." The scalper looked impatient.

"You...you're shameless!" The girl was furious. She was thin and dark-skinned, with a neat short haircut.

Zhao Huaiyuan was delighted.

Isn't this Mi Lai from the future TV series "Struggle"?

Wang Luodan is a sophomore majoring in Performing Arts at Taipei Film Academy.

She practiced dancing too late in the rehearsal room last night and didn't get up this morning, causing her to miss the school's free invoice issuance period.

By the time she rushed over, all the tickets had already been sold out.

"Hey senior, buying tickets?" Zhao Huaiyuan stepped forward and quietly pulled Wang Luodan away.

Wang Luodan took a half-step back warily: "Who are you? Are you a scalper too?"

"Do I look like one?" Zhao Huaiyuan showed his student ID.

Upon seeing that it was a junior from the same school, Wang Luodan's tone softened.

"Senior sister, these scalpers are ripping people off! 1500 yuan, isn't that overcharging?"

"Yes, I know, but I don't have a ticket. I want to go in and watch the opening ceremony." Wang Luodan scratched her head in frustration.

"What a coincidence, I have one here." Zhao Huaiyuan pulled out a ticket as if by magic.

Wang Luodan's eyes lit up immediately, and she reached out to grab it: "Give it to me? You're definitely not that kind of person, how much?"

Zhao Huaiyuan withdrew his hand, then smiled and first held up one, then four: "How about 1,400?"

"Fourteen thousand? Junior, you're only offering a hundred yuan discount? I think you're as greedy as a scalper! We're all from Beijing Film Academy, talking about money is too much of a hassle, how about five hundred?" Wang Luodan's eyes widened.

"No bargaining like that, it's 1300." Zhao Huaiyuan shook his head.

"Six hundred"

"One thousand and two"

"Seven Hundred"

"One thousand and two"

"I only have 1,100 yuan. If you sell it, I'll buy it; if you don't, I don't want it." Wang Luodan was very angry.

I thought I'd run into a junior and be able to buy a cheap ticket, but it turns out this junior is handsome but has a black heart.

"Deal!" Zhao Huaiyuan said with a smile.

"You win, Zhao Huaiyuan, right? I'll remember you!"

Wang Luodan gritted her teeth and reluctantly counted out eleven bills from her wallet, which were her secret stash of money that she had saved for a long time.

Unexpected wealth has arrived.

As Zhao Huaiyuan was leaving, he glanced at the other person.

[Target: Wang Luodan]

Current favorability rating: 27

[Evaluation: I think you're a middleman who takes advantage of people's misfortune, but I'm also grateful that you solved my immediate problem, so I'll barely remember your name.]

Zhao Huaiyuan didn't care. He counted the money, put it in his pocket, and earned 1100 yuan with tears in his eyes!

He went around to the side of the exhibition hall and waited for a team of workers responsible for the sound equipment to move boxes inside.

He casually picked up a roll of cable from the ground, slung it over his shoulder, lowered his head, and swaggered along at the back of the line.

The security guard at the entrance gave him a puzzled look.

He's a bit young, doesn't look like a worker, but he looks very busy, like he's telling you not to bother him.

He assumed it was just a technical staff member in charge of the back-end system and let them pass without asking any questions.

They lowered the cable on the first floor and quietly went up to the second floor.

The second floor of the screening room has a unique structure. The north side houses the screening room and control console, while the south side features a row of luxuriously decorated VIP lounges, specifically for high-ranking leaders and guests attending events to take temporary rest.

To welcome big shots like Han Sanping and Pierre Reis, the school raised the security level on the second floor to the highest level tonight.

At the end of the corridor leading to the screening room, two teachers from the teaching affairs office were standing there, smoking and chatting.

Zhao Huaiyuan cursed inwardly.

If they tried to force their way in, they would definitely be taken to the security office on the spot.

Need an excuse? The other person isn't a three-year-old.

Just then, someone else came up the stairs.

"Second floor, two people go upstairs. Someone saw a student without a name tag sneak up. Check each room."